We tried the cheap WM ones with no success but we've had great luck with Gerber Essentials. We have one LO who can only use Dr. Browns. For the wide neck bottles, we've been able to find the Similac bottles rather inexpensive at WM as they have had coupons on the shelf.

Dude, we got tons of Dr Browns and Playtex VentAir from local garage sales! Especially if you let people know that you're fostering, or put it on your facebook etc., lots of people want to help out (we've experienced that with families at church and with our own adoption). Let people know what you're looking for and check out yard sales (people will list what they have on craigslist ads for them usually, so you don't waste your time going to ones without baby stuff) and you'd be amazed what you can get for pennies! Also if you know anyone else who goes to yardsales and you let them know what to look out for, you can double your efforts.

We are in the process to become foster parents too! We were given 6 Dr. Browns Bottles. I decided to go with that brand because as a previous poster mentioned many newbies are born addicted etc and have tummy issues. I also like that if baby is r/u before they are done with bottles the switch to the cheap ones wont be a big deal for them.

The nipple on the cheap ones always collapses on us. Is that normal or am I do something wrong?